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AB separation is such a non story.
"Definitely leave" is at 8%
"Definitely stay" is at 57%.
Even if all "lean leave" "lean stay" and "unsures" magically end up saying "leave", there is still a healthy majority saying stay.
Nobody should be talking about AB separation as if it's a serious thing.
It has the backing of the USA, which makes it worth keeping an eye on.
USA: Does an endless stream of stupid shit.
People from Alberta "Oh damn, I want in on that action."
I mean, that's what they said about Brexit.
And Trump's first term.
I would rather not take any chances.
It's close enough to be concerned. They were convinced somehow, and all it takes is figuring out how to put enough doubt in some more people combined with the right circumstances (which can be engineered by the oligarchs) to create a moment in time when the unthinkable happens. It worked for Brexit. It worked for Trump.
Never underestimate your enemy.
Greenland polling had twice as many people in definitive support for joining the US than AB has of becoming independent. Nobody was interpretating that result as a "close enough to be concerned".
It's also worth noting, that since the USA has piped up on the topic of AB separation, support for separation has actually gone down.
I'm not necessarily trying to diminish your stance, only trying to put it into a more global perspective.
People making Brexit comparisons... I don't think it's a reasonable comparison based on the popular concept of identity. While the benefits of membership were contentious between stay/leave camps, "identity" was not really a factor... across the board, a negligible amount of anyone, stay or leave, saw the EU as part of thier identity. Identity is complex in the UK as it stands, are you more British, Welsh, English? A londoner? There already was less competitive identity space for an EU identity.
In contrast, Albertans broadly identify as Canadian. Even in the slivers of percentages of people who aren't fully committed to staying, it's still high. To leave would mean sacrificing part of thier identity. When push comes to shove, that's generally a non starter, regardless of the topic.
There will be no separation. Honestly, I'd be surprised if it even manages to get to the point of referendum. The referendum would be AT LEAST a supermajority "stay". You can't Sabre rattle once you've shown the world you have no Sabre. The leverage afforded by the threat is the political value. Why throw one of your best political tools in the garbage?
Fair enough. I'm just a concerned American who's probably sticking his nose in where he shouldn't for lack of being well-informed. I'd just really hate to see the utter destruction of our country spread to you guys.
It's fair and appropriate for you to be urging caution, and to be sharing how high the stakes are. I do sincerely appreciate it.
I had a buddy in Finland telling me AB separation is making news... in FINLAND.
In an era of a crazy doom news cycle, I just want to try and put this one to bed. This particular story isn't worth the sweat, especially with all the other things that are.
And who knows. Maybe something will take a left turn and suddenly this becomes realer. Just right now, it isn't.
Thanks for understanding. I'm glad to hear things are a bit less rocky up there than I feared.
Well, there is good news in that several local elections in the past year have literally taken a "Left" turn in the US - with some surprise upsets in deep right territories. I'm just hoping Trump is unable to rig the system thoroughly enough to prevent that by the time the national-level elections occur.
It's not rocket science given the USA's stated intention of destroying Canada and the close relations between Alberta right-wingers and MAGA.
The USA supporting separatists to destabilize a country is like CIA 101.
Some experts say the perception that Washington would support Alberta’s separation has been fuelled by rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has previously referred to Canada as a potential “51st state.”
You don't say?
The fact that CTV then interviews Alberta separatists, suggests Alberta would be anything but an exploited resource extraction colony, and sanewashes it all is irresponsible, yet unsurprising from CTV.
Survey shows the herd believes rabid coyotes would definitely support defiant member breaking off the pack.
Albertan separatism. Brought to you by the Koch brothers. Well, the remaining surviving one. Can't wait for that society-running shithead to kick the bucket too.
The president of the US might try to support breaking off alberta, he might bite off more than he can chew in doing so. He doesn't have the juice to do something that major yet.
They need the military and security services to declare martial law and fix elections. Until they get that straightened out, they won't be able to unpend nato without endangering their ability to put a fix in. Upending nato is the point though, not getting greenland or alberta. He wants to upend nato, because he's putin's bitch (even if he's israel's bitch first.)
only the crazy part of the us and im not sure I would call it indpendence when they want to absorb you.
Haven't US officials literally stated as much?
From the shadows a cigarette flares , and a long slow exhale is heard. A quiet "Bon chance..." is uttered before footsteps fade into the foggy Montreal night.
LOL. You'd have to be completely ridiculous to think that the United States wouldn't gobble you up.
While we're doing switcheroos, maybe Cascadia can do the opposite.